Panel formed over Kasur child abuse tragedy

Ombudsman asks task force to identify institutional deficiencies

ISLAMABAD: The federal ombudsman on Monday constituted a task force that will investigate the incidents of child abuse and murders in Kasur, specially the horrific rape and murder of eight-year-old Zainab which sparked nationwide outrage.

The panel has been told to identify what was described as systemic failures in the Zainab rape-murder case. The committee has also been asked to recommend corrective measures to protect children from abuse.

The decision to form the task force was taken in a meeting convened by the National Commissioner for Children of Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi.

Presiding over the task force’s first meeting, Senator Dr S M Zafar said the committee was constituted to look into the Kasur tragedy and it had been mandated to redress the systemic failures resulting in child abuse incidents in Kasur.

He said the committee would conduct an in-depth study of the situation responsible for child abuse in Kasur and identify the institutional deficiencies for their rectification. The task force would also monitor progress in the matter, he added.

Zafar appreciated the efforts of Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi for providing a platform to the federal and provincial authorities along with civil society for initiating measures for elimination of violence against children.

Earlier in the meeting, Qureshi briefed the committee members in detail on their aims and objectives. He presented a plan of action devised for the protection and welfare of the children.



The committee members unanimously approved the plan and assured their support for achieving the desired result. The additional IG Punjab police also assured the committee of the full support and cooperation.

The meeting was attended by former minister Shaheen Atiq-ur-Rehman, Punjab Add IG (Investigation) Abubakar Khudabakhsh, Syeda Viquar-un-Nisa Hashmi, Souriya Anwar, Muhammad Masud Akhtar Khan, Tauseef Arshad, Nasreen Farooque Ayub and others.